A veteran cooking (and baking) teacher, famous for her work at the Ballymaloe Cooking School near Cork, Darina Allen is infectiously intrepid, confident that you can make everything from soda bread and sourdough to focaccia, chapatis, croissants, and even an array of gluten-free breads. Allen’s conviction that bread is a good thing means that she’s much more likely to have you rolling up your sleeves and getting to work than contemplating the mystical aspects of leavening. It also means that she backs up her 180 recipes with just as many variations, trusting you to understand process and to be ready to flavor and shape your work to your own satisfaction. You’ll find plenty of standard recipes here, but also the likes of Baghrir, a North African breakfast pancake made from a yeasted batter Borodinsky bread, a rye-based sourdough loaf topped with coriander seeds Shangarry irresistibles, sweet pillowy buns which call for softly whipped cream and homemade raspberry jam Hardcover. Color illustrations throughout.
